Windham Emergency Personnel at the Ready for Hurricane Sandy

Windham emergency personnel are currently in the information gathering stage as Hurricane Sandy blasts toward the United States, with Fire Chief Tom McPherson saying that his department is being cautious about the storm.

McPherson said that emergency offiicals in town have participated in the New Hampshire Bureau of Emergency Management conference calls. Another will take place today at 12 p.m. with the storm close to two days away from reaching the coast.

On Friday, N.H. Gov. John Lynch said that the state may get winds of up to 60 mph with rain of up to 4 inches, regardless of where the storm hits. Power outages, flooding, road closures and debris could result.

McPherson said that the high school, as it has in the past, will be designated as the town's emergency shelter if needed.

"The high school already has a generator," he said. It will be sufficient enough if we needed sheltering."

At this time, he said that there will be no extra emergency management officials on call.

He added that the fire department is currently making sure all of its generators and chain saws are fueled.

McPherson did not say whether trick-or-treat hours scheduled for next Wednesday could possibly be moved.

Last year, when the October snow storm ravaged roads in Windham and kept some residents without power for over a week, it was the police department that announced that the Halloween festivities would be moved.